A positive aspect of the Copenhagen summit was the general agreement on the  necessity of fighting united against climate changeClimate change is a lasting change in weather patterns over long periods of time. It can be a natural phenomena and and has occurred on Earth even before people inhabited it. Quite different is a current situation that is also referred to as climate change, anthropogenic climate change, or .... OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria called the Copenhagen Accord a hard-fought political agreement, even if it was far from perfect.

Most countries are expected to sign it, and the focus is on Mexico to establish a legally-binding agreement for post-2012 action. Therefore in the coming year the OECD will focus much on how to assist developing nations to establish an economy that is resilient to the risks and impacts of climateClimate is typically defined as the average weather (or more rigorously a statistical description of the average in terms of the mean and variability) over a period of time, usually 30 years. These quantities are most often surface variables such as temperature, precipitation, and wind. Climate ... change. They will also encourage the implementation of cost-effective measures to fight and adapt to climate change.

Meanwhile, there are some promising announcements from countries all over the world.

Brazil, Latin America’s largest country, will fully comply with the ambitious 2020 targets, even if global climate talks failed to make then legally binding for all. Brazil already proudly announced this year that deforestation had been much reduced, especially important in an area of the world where deforestation and the release of carbon through burning and decomposition is a major reason to make Brazil one of the largest emitters of greenhouse gases. Environment Minister Carlos Minc told reporters that Brazil aims to reduce emissionsEmissions of greenhouse gases, greenhouse gas precursors, and aerosols associated with human activities, including the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, land-use changes, livestock, fertilisation, etc. (IPCC) to roughly 20% compared to the 2005 level.

South Korea also gave a positive sign on Monday by announcing it will launch a pilot emissions trading system by next year. The program will issue emissionEmissions of greenhouse gases, greenhouse gas precursors, and aerosols associated with human activities, including the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, land-use changes, livestock, fertilisation, etc. (IPCC) permits to participating organizations that can then trade remaining allowances or buy more from those who emit less. With a total of 641 organizations the goal aimed for is a cut of 1-2% of carbon emissions compared to 2005-2007 average emissions.

China announced an amendment to the renewable energyRenewable energy is power generated from infinite sources, such as wind or solar power. Conventional energy is generated from finite sources, such as natural gas or fossil oil. law to require electricity gridA grid is a network of transmission lines, usually to distribute electric power . companies to buy all the powerUseful energy can be mechanical energy, for example powering a fan. produced by renewable energy sources. Companies who refuse to buy green power will be fined painfully. The law, which covers subsidies, pricing management and supervision measures,  will improve the consumption of renewable energyThe ability to perform work, mainly kinetic, potential, thermal energy, but also in forms of gravitational, sound, elastic and electromagnetic energy. and contribute to the global fight against climate change, said Wang Zhongying, director of the renewable energy development center of the Energy Research Institute under the National Development and Reform Commission. China’s energy mix showed that last year, renewable sources contributed 9% to its total consumption, reducing its CO-emissions by 600 Mio. tonnes.

At least there certainly is some movement going on, and that gives reason to hope for the future.